She had a vast population, and "there was no end to her stores." Yet, she was a "bloody city,"-" full of lies and robbery." Her aim was universal empire; to compass which, her monarch employed not only arms, but the arts of diplomacy and priestcraft. Besides, in the strong language of inspiration, she was a "well-favored harlot; the mistress of witchcrafts." Nahum 3: 4.

Justly indignant at her "wickedness," God commissions. Jonah to proceed to Nineveh, and "cry against it." But, deterred, either through the dangers of the journey, or from fear of personal injury, should he deliver so ungrateful a message to a proud and potent city, he attempts to escape from the presence of the Lord. He flees to Joppa; where he embarks on board a vessel, bound to Tarshish. He did not ask, with the psalmist, "Whither shall I go from thy presence? Whither shall I flee from thy Spirit ?" Had he suffered himself to reflect, but for a moment, he would have perceived the folly and infatuation of attempting to escape from the omniscient eye of Jehovah.

Midnight and noon in this agree:

Great God-they're both alike to Thee.
Nor death can hide what God will spy;
And hell lies naked to his eye.

The vessel weighs anchor,

But the prophet is on board. and spreads her sails to the breeze. All things promise a safe and speedy voyage. Jonah retires to rest; while the vessel dances lightly over the waves. But, suddenly, the clouds gather-the winds roar-the waves rise the loud cry of the mariners is heard on the gale-" the bark is foundering." But, wherefore this sudden and appalling tempest? The question is, at length, answered; and the prophet stands convicted of a crime, for which God has thrown the elements into wide and wild commotion. To that God, the affrighted mariners, heathen as they were, make their appeal. They

abjure all intention of contracting the guilt of blood; but, as their only expedient, by which to appease the God of Jonah, and by direction of the prophet himself, they cast him into the noisy waters.

He sinks-they know not but to some "dark, unfathomed cave," — while they pass on over smoother waters. But Jonah is not alone; nor is he suffered to make his bed in the chambers of the deep. A fish, appointed and prepared by God, swallows him. And there, now, concealed from the eyes of all but of Him who penetrates the depths of ocean and of earth, he pours forth his prayer unto God. From such a closet-such a footstool-what child of God had ever prayed before! Adopting the language of the psalmist, he exclaims, as well he might exclaim: "All thy waves and thy billows have gone over me." He had "forsaken his own mercy," v. 8; that mercy which he might have claimed, and which he could have called for, had he attempted to fulfill-though he had failed to fulfill his duty. One privilege, however, is left him he can, and will, "worship towards the holy temple," v. 4. And one vow he can make; one bond he can bind his soul to perform, if God will spare him; if, from the "belly of hell," in which he is imprisoned, he may escape, he will "sacrifice unto God the voice of thanksgiving."- "I will pay that I have vowed."

The sin of Jonah was a grievous one; and most solemn and terrific was the testimony which God bore against it. Yet, when humbled and repentant, he cried, and was heard and forgiven. God brought him to behold, once more, the light of day; and to leave on record, for after generations, to the end of time, that glorious truth: "Salvation is of the Lord," v. 9.

Blessed be God, that, in our deepest trouble, in which we are involved, by reason of folly and crime, we may pray. Oh! that those, who are inmates of the prisons and dungeons of the land, did know that they may pray. No matter

how deep their guilt; no matter how low their dungeon, or how little they are thought of by men, they may pray; and, from their cells-dark, deep, noisome-their sincere, penitent cries will ascend to God. Oh! that there were more Howards abroad, on errands of love to the prison-houses of all lands, to direct their gloomy inmates to a God who heareth prayer!

JONAH.

SECOND PRAYER OF JONAH.

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, &c.-Jonah iv. 1-3.

"YE know not what manner of spirit ye are of," said our Savior to James and John, who would have called down fire from heaven, and consumed the Samaritans of a certain village, because they would not receive their Master. Much less, apparently, did Jonah know what spirit he was of, when he would have rejoiced to see the fires of heaven, or some other desolating calamity, overtake the Ninevites, because they did receive him, and repented under his warning message. At first, he had refused to convey the divine admonition to that guilty city, but had fled. But, at length, humbled by a severe providential dispensation, probably inflicted upon no other mortal, he had vowed to make any sacrifice, to which God should call him. And, when a second commission comes from the Lord, he accepts it, and, through the streets of Nineveh, he makes the solemn and admonitory proclamation: "Forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed." Unexpectedly, the inhabitants give credence to him, as a prophet of God; a fast is proclaimed; the king himself puts

off his royal robe, and covers himself with sackcloth and ashes. The example thus set, is followed by the people; and even the beasts of the field must eat no food, and be clothed in sackcloth also.

Never was a message more solemn; or a judgment denounced more terrific. Never prophet was more successful. And we should expect to hear Jonah, in some song of praise and gratitude, evincing his joy at the result of his mission. But, is the prophet thus thankful? thus joyful? Ah! it has truly been said, “that, in all the Book of God, we scarcely find a servant of the Lord so very much out of temper, as he is here so peevish, and provoking to God!"

Strange that to verify his word, and save, as he thought, his honor, a city containing a hundred and twenty thousand infants, must be swept by some besom of destruction! Alas! that there should be in good men such remains of depravity! And he prays, through the infatuation and disappointment of his spirit, that God would let him die-nay, that he would take from him his life.

But we will not longer dwell upon the painful particulars. Well might Jonah be grateful to God—and, in the sequel, we trust he was—that his prayer was not answered according to his wishes. Oh! if God should take us according to our wishes; if he should fulfill the desires of our hearts, sometimes made in moments of irritation and impatience, how wretched would be our condition!

Some may be ready to ask: "Can a man be a child of God, and betray such a spirit as did Jonah ?" He may; but let it be remembered, that such a spirit cannot long dwell in the bosom of a good man; and that, when it is even briefly indulged, waters of deep repentance will flow forth from the flinty rock, when struck; and the repentant soul will cry out, with David, "Have mercy upon me, O God! according to thy loving kindness; and according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions!"

HABAKKUK.

PRAYER OF HABAKKUK.

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid : O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, &c.— Hab. iii.

THIS prophet is supposed to have prophesied in the reign of Manasseh, who occupied the throne of Judah for more than half a century. During this long period, Manasseh had ample time to undo the reformation effected by Hezekiah his father; and assiduously, and successfully, did he address himself to the unworthy task. Altars rose to Baal; fires were lighted up in honor of Moloch; groves were planted for the worship of false gods. Magic, divination, and other sinister arts, were patronized; and even the idol Astarte was honored with a place in the house of the Lord. Added to these abominations, rivers of the blood of innocent persons flowed from one end of the holy city to the other. God himself testified, that Manasseh seduced the people to do more evil, than did the nations whom he destroyed before the children of Israel. 2 Kings 21: 9. And terrible were the divine judgments which God threatened for these abominations. "I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish; wiping it, and turning it upside down." v. 13.

Such was the state of the Jewish nation, when Habakkuk entered upon his work, as a messenger from God. He announces to Manasseh and his people the approaching invasion by the Chaldeans, permitted by God, as a token of his holy indignation. So terrible would be its effects, that the ears of every one, who should hear of it, would tingle.

In this third chapter, we have a prayer of the prophet, uttered in view of these impending calamities. For sublimity of thought, and beauty of diction, it has, perhaps, never been surpassed.